Cluttered refrigerator! Confession time!

[TamiK]

Am I the only one whose refrigerator is so full of partial little bottles of stuff that I can't fit any food in it? It seems like the more I cook and try to substitute flavor for fat, the more little bottles I have to store--and they all say refrigerate after opening. Let's see--there's 5 kinds of mustard (no one in our house eats mustard, but I occasionally use it in a recipe). Horseradish, ginger, and garlic--in jars. Chili paste with garlic. Hoisin sauce. Sweet and sour sauce. Chili Sauce. Jalapeno jelly--both green and yellow. Plum sauce. Teriyaki sauce. Capers. Fat-free caramel topping. Fat-free fudge topping. Jelly and jam--6 kinds. Just to name a few, of course. 1/6 of my refrigerator is taken up with this stuff. Embarrassing! Is it only me????

[sushibones]

Nope--absolutely not!! But you forgot to mention olives, chipolte peppers, maraschino cherries, beef base, 6 kinds of cheese, mirin, pepperoncini peppers, and salsa     . I have a refrigerator with those nice adjustable bins on the door that hold most of the jars. I also have a couple of containers I keep on the shelves to keep things in one place.

However, look on the bright side--we'll never have to face an empty refrigerator.

[Vanessa]

No there are many of us who probably have all kind of things in our refrigerator.And...lets not even discuss freezer....
What I do now is the day before recycle day I take a look and go through bottles to see if any can be toss or recycle. If there are little bits of salad dressing, mayo etc well I just rinse and recycle the bottle. On garbage day I try (note I say try as it is not always accomplished) to discard what needs to be discarded.

[MrsReber]

My husband usually cleans out our fridge. It's not that I don't want to do it, I just really seem to forget about all those jars of stuff. He's very wonderful for doing it, but don't think I don't hear about it later!

[BarrieCov]

I definitely have more partially used condiments than I have actual food! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

[This message has been edited by BarrieCov (edited 01-18-2001).]

[Peggy]

I try to see my cluttered refrigerator as a creative "challenge". Every few weeks I take a serious look at what is in there and try to come up with recipe ideas that will use up the remaining portions... What can I make that needs about a 1/3 cup mango chutney, 1/2 a cup orange marmalade (which I don't like plain), a smidge of oyster sauce ?...etc. I'm alway so proud when I actually use up a container of something. Then, of course, the following week I will undoubtably want to try a recipe with the same ingredient and off to the grocery store I go! It's a vicious cycle! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

Peggy

[cjm]

YES, I am guilty of partially used stuff in the fridge - I do confess!

I have therefore pretty much gotten away from storing leftovers in TUPPERWARE. I put everything in ziplock bags. 1. I can see what is inside and if it is any shade of green I can toss the entire bag and not worry about cleaning the container (sometimes I really don't even want to open it). 2. The ziplock bags can fit into just about any space available.

[Wendy w]

The doors of my refrigerator are jam-packed with worcestershire sauce, salad dressings, red spices (paprika, essence, sw essence), capers, jars with 4 olives in it, Liquid Smoke, pepper sauces. My rule is to not let these items take over the rest of the refrigerator.

Since my room mate isn't a cook and has no imagination in flavoring (she admits it), she keeps only one shelf on the door for herself-the rest is mine http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/redface.gif .

[sneezles]

OK, here's my theory...the more little jars the more interesting the cook! My SIL, who lives across the driveway, has pretty much stopped cooking. Her kids are gone, her husband travels a lot so she either doesn't eat, makes tuna salad or goes out to eat when her husband is home. I do invite her over a lot. Point is her fridge is clean all the time! Mine is much more interesting and in fact, she'll go through the bottles asking what I use them in! And occasionally I'll find a bottle that I wonder what I use it in... http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif !

[hka]

I definitely have one of those refridgerators as well! Occasionally, when my husband cleans it out, he'll harrass me. I'm famous for not using all the produce I purchase. I know it's a bad habit but sometimes I'm the only one eating the vegies. A girl can only eat so much. I'm trying to do better though! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

[mcdoo]

Oh thank goodness...there are people out there just like me. I married my husband about a year ago and I think he has gone into shock since then. He was a lifelong bachelor (age 37) when we tied the knot and his refrigerator at any given time consisted of (no kidding): a tupperware full of baby carrots, ketchup, a loaf of bread, peanut butter, strawberry jelly, Mountain Dew, milk, bottled water, a can of whipped cream, pudding and a freezer full of Healthy Choice dinners. He stares with awe at our refrigerator every time he opens it now and asks me to explain things like "what is Hoisin Sauce?", or "what are these long green things? (leeks!)". He says that anything "green" in his old refrigerator was just "bad".

Thank you for making me feel a little more "normal".

[Natasha]

Me too, but it s so handy for experimenting or last-minute dinners. I just root through the refrigerator and throw together whatever I find (okay, within reason http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif ). I would find it hard to live without my condiments.

And Peggy - I do know what you mean! At one dinner a week or two ago we used up three containers of leftovers and were so proud. Doesn t take much, huh? http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/tongue.gif